Volkswagen will likely become this year the largest automaker in the world, ahead of Toyota and General Motors, thanks to gains on emerging markets. The sales of the German company, which last year was ranked third among auto manufacturers will probably increase in 2011 by 13%, to 8.1 million vehicles, according to analysis conducted by Bloomberg. GM sales will increase by about 8% to 7.55 million, while sales of Toyota will likely record a decline of 9%, to 7.27 million.
In China, Volkswagen sales could rise by nearly 20% in 2011 and could double in India, according to estimates of the consulting firm JD Power & Associates. Instead, Toyota was forced to suspend production at factories in Southeast Asia because of floods in Thailand, and production in Japan was affected by the earthquake in March.
“Emerging markets are at the stage where consumers want to purchase vehicles and there is still room for increased sales. The German company has done this and focuses on expanding on emerging markets”, writes the analysis of JD Power & Associates. However, JD Power estimates that Toyota will again lead the world in 2012, with sales of 8.6 million vehicles, ahead of Volkswagen with 8.3 million units.
Volkswagen, the largest carmaker in Europe, had a new sales record in the first half of 2011, thanks to solid growth in Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe. A total of 4.09 million Volkswagen vehicles were sold in the first six months of this year globally, up by 14.1% compared with same period last year.
In the Asia-Pacific region, sales of the German company rose 19.5%, to 1.26 million vehicles, especially in China, where sales climbed by 16.4% to 1.1 million. India has the highest percentage growth in sales of 217.2% to 55,100 vehicles. In North America, sales rose by 21.2% to 319,100, while in South America sales rose by 10.9% to 455,200 vehicles.
Europe remained the largest market for Volkswagen, an increase of 9.3% to 1.9 million vehicles, supported by robust growth in Eastern Europe, 28.9%, to 253,700 vehicles. Volkswagen Group (which brings together 10 brands of cars, including luxury cars Bugatti, Lamborghini and Bentley) sold in 2010 a record 7.14 million vehicles, 13.5% more than in 2009. German auto group wants to deliver eight million vehicles in 2011 and its objective is to pass by 2018 Toyota when it would sell 10 million vehicles annually.